


Where We Are

by horrorsilk



Series: Kinktober 2019 [1]
Category: Mortal Kombat (Video Games), Mortal Kombat - All Media Types
Genre: Established Relationship, Kinktober, M/M, Masks, Plot What Plot/Porn Without Plot, Secret Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-01
Updated: 2019-10-01
Packaged: 2020-11-07 23:29:44
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,449
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20825600
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/horrorsilk/pseuds/horrorsilk
Summary: Erron Black never takes his mask off in front of anyone. Ever....except Ermac, that is.-----For Kinktober 2019 Prompt: Masks





	Where We Are

Fingers slipped the leather straps of his mask into face like they had a thousand times before, buckling them tight by muscle memory. Erron briefly checked his reflection in the mirror before he slapped on his hat and strapped on his holsters, making sure the door to his room was locked before making his way down the empty halls. The sound of his footsteps echoed off the stone floors and walls before he descended the stairs, taking them two at a time all the way down. 

It was his turn to take morning patrol, something he honestly didn't mind. After all, it meant he was back indoors before the heat got too unbearable. Though he was from Texas; he made a point to tell everyone the sun never killed nobody, and it sure as well wasn't going to kill him. Though even he had to admit that here in Outworld, the intensity was far greater, and it was best to be indoors before the afternoon. Hands on his pistols, Erron tipped his head towards the guards at the door, who pushed the massive thing open to let him out into the kourtyard. 

"Good morning, Erron Black."

A familiar voice from his right made the gunslinger jump.

"Ermac? What in the hell are you doin' out here?" he snapped, and the construct frowned deeply at him. Erron felt a pang of guilt and sighed. "Ya startled me, is all. Didn't you have guard duty overnight? You should go in and get some rest."

Ermac huffed, green eyes narrowed. "You know we do not require sleep," he said curtly. "We merely wished to see the sunrise."

Erron passed a hand over his brow before approaching Ermac, smiling softly beneath his mask. "That so? Well, maybe you'd like t' walk with me for a bit? I'd appreciate the company." Glancing around to make sure no one else was around or watching, the gunslinger reached out, brushed the tips of his fingers over the construct's wrist. 

"Erron Black," was the reply, and there was a warning edge to it; Ermac was always cautious when they were out in the open like this. The concern was endearing, really, especially coming from him.

"You don't got to worry," the gunslinger purred. "There's nobody around. And y'don't have to call me by my full name when we're alone."

Ermac pursed his lips, weary eyes sliding over their surroundings again before he relaxed a bit. "Very well... _Erron."_

"That's better." Erron jerked his head in the direction of the perimeter. "Shall we?"

The construct merely nodded, drifting along beside the man as he walked, toes skimming the earth. A few souls orbited his torso in a faint green mist, and Erron watched them curiously. Ermac seemed to notice his attention and shot him a quizzical look.

"You remember when we met, Ermac?" 

"Yes, we do."

"So do I. But my memory could use a refresher. Ain't as young as I used to be."

Ermac scoffed, shaking his head. "We disagreed with the emperor's hiring you. We did not - _do not _\- like mercenaries."

Erron nodded. He remembered that part well; Ermac glaring at him the entire time he'd been discussing his terms and price with Kotal Kahn. Those vivid green eyes burning into his skull, that murderous scowl. Ermac made his distrust well known from the very beginning, and seemed determined to keep an eye on Erron no matter where he went. Erron couldn't really blame him. After all, Ermac had been created to serve the ruler of Outworld without question, so to him people whose loyalties lay with the highest bidder were the lowest scum. 

Still, after a time working together, the two were at least on polite terms. Once Ermac was reasonably certain Erron wasn't going to run off with a sack full of koins and Erron was reasonably certain Ermac wasn't going to pull his intestines out through his mouth they actually began to talk to one another. Nothing overly friendly, but one would give the other a polite greeting in passing, wish the other well on their departure. After a particularly nasty fight, one where Erron had very nearly had his head ripped clean off by one of Mileena's rebels, the construct had seemed particularly bothered. 

_"What's got you lookin' so irritable, huh?" Erron asked, sitting down on a bench outside the palace to empty the sand from his boots. Ermac didn't reply at first, but after a glance from the gunslinger, his lips parted to speak._

_"We wanted to apologize. For earlier. We should have reacted quicker when you were attacked." _

_"The fuck you on about?" Erron's brow furrowed. "I shot 'em, didn't I? No harm done. Not your job to babysit me, Ermac."_

_The construct's fingers twitched at his sides and he looked even more miserable than he had before. "We understand that, but... We do not wish to see you injured, Erron Black." Glowing eyes lifted to meet the gunslinger's hazel ones. Damn, why did that make Erron's heart skip a beat? _

"Didn't seem to take you too long t'warm up to me, though," Erron teased, bumping his shoulder against Ermac's, and he was met with a stern look, followed by a soft chuckle. 

"You proved yourself useful in a fight. And we appreciated that." Ermac shrugged.

"I'm useful? That's it? That all you got to say to me?"

"No, there is more. We appreciated your skills in battle, and...we worried for you. At first we told ourselves it was because your loss would hurt the kahn, but that was not entirely true. We grew to care about you, Erron B-...Erron."

Erron felt his cheeks flush; thank the elder gods he was wearing a mask.

_"Why do you wear the mask?" The question was asked with only curiosity. There was no ulterior motive behind it, but Erron still felt his face burning beneath the leather. _

_"Can't have anyone knowin' I ain't from Outworld," he grunted. "Besides, it keeps the sand outta my lungs."_

_Ermac tilted his head. "We suppose that is as good a reason as any."_

_"Why you askin' anyway?"_

_"It was an honest question. We meant no offense."_

_"Nah, 'course ya didn't." Erron cleared his throat. "Sorry if I snapped. Just...it makes me feel safe. As dumb as that sounds."_

_The construct's face softened. "We understand," he said quietly. "We used to wear one, many years ago, when we served Shao Kahn. But, like the rest of us, it was lost to time." A pained look crossed the construct's face, and his gaze lowered. "Without his magic, the rot has taken much of us. Truthfully, we know it will not be long before we are consumed entirely. It is not such a bad thing. We are useful now, but if that ceases to be the case, it would be better for us to be dead rather than be a burden."_

_"Don't." Erron's voice was icy cold and Ermac flinched at the sound of it. The gunslinger reached out, put a hand on the construct's knee. "Don't ya go sayin' stuff like that about yourself. Ya might be useful, sure, but there's more to ya than bein' a weapon. I don't like thinkin' about you bein' dead, y'hear? I'd miss you."_

_Green eyes brightened, and the first real smile that Erron had ever seen him wore pulled its way across Ermac's lips._

_Gods but he wanted to make him smile like that again._

They walked along the wall in silence for a while, Ermac still drifting as he always did, Erron's hands resting on his pistols. Just in case. Judging by the sun's position in the sky, they'd been on patrol for an hour or so now. Birds chirped from the trees, flitting between the branches while the clouds rolled lazily through the azure sky above. It really was a nice day, and with the construct beside him, Erron almost didn't want his shift to end. Not when he knew that he and Ermac wouldn't have a chance to be alone again for at least the rest of the day, if not longer. 

Passing by a small copse of gnarled trees growing along the path, Erron slowed before he stopped entirely. Ermac stopped as well, giving him a questioning look and cocking his head. 

"Are you well?" he asked, floating to Erron's side and scrutinizing him as if assessing him for damage.

"Ah, 'm fine," the gunslinger said quickly. "Just...figured we could stop for a minute in the shade." He gestured for Ermac to follow him as he sat down, resting his back against one of the more sturdy-looking trees. Ermac glanced over his shoulder, a line of worry between his brows.   
  
"But your patrol -" he began, clearly hesitant about joining him.

"Fuck it," Erron grunted, stretching out his legs. "We won't be long. Just a few minutes. I'm burnin' up."

Slowly, still clearly at war with himself, Ermac sat beside him, eyes staring straight ahead as if he expected an entire army to burst through the walls at any second. Erron chuckled softly, wrapping an arm over his shoulders to pull him close. 

"Always so intense. That's what I love about ya." 

_They hadn't been this close to one another before, but Erron couldn't bring himself to care. Despite the withered skin and sunken cheeks, Ermac looked so beautiful up close. His face cast in the misty green light of his eyes; Erron wanted to stare at him forever._

_"Can I kiss you?" The question was blurted out without a second thought, and Ermac looked shocked. His eyes widened, rattling breath hitched in his chest. _

_"Kiss...us?" he echoed back, and Erron nodded._

_"Only if you want to, of course," he said quickly, words slurred together in his desperation to get them out. To his pleasant surprise, Ermac smiled that small smile and nodded._

_"We would like that," he said softly. "Though we have never kissed anyone before. And we wonder how to go about doing it while you are wearing your mask."_

_Erron frowned. He hadn't taken his mask off in front of anyone before. But this was _Ermac. _It didn't really matter that much, did it? "I can take it off," he said after a moment, his voice barely more than a whisper. The construct seemed even more surprised by this than his asking if they could kiss. _

_As if noticing the gunslinger's trembling hands, Ermac reached out gently. "Let us help you," he said quietly and Erron nodded his consent._

_He didn't know if it was habit or nerves, but the minute he felt Ermac's fingers brush against the buckles holding the mask in place, Erron snatched his wrists, gripping them tight enough that he saw a brief look of pain shoot across Ermac's face. _

_"Ah, fuck me, sorry, I shouldn't have..."_

_Ermac merely gave him a gentle, understanding smile. "Do not apologize. We understand your hesitation. If you would rather we not..."_

_"No. No way, just...go ahead."_

_Nodding, Ermac unfastened the straps with excrutiating slowness, clearly waiting for Erron to change his mind. When he didn't, the construct lifted the mask with a look of reverence. Setting it aside, the leather was replaced by Ermac's hands, gently cupping his face, tracing lines along his chin and jaw. Green eyes were wide and he let out a slow, rattling breath._

_"You are so handsome."_

Erron fumbled with his mask for a moment before removing it, tossing it away with a grunt. Ermac glanced over and frowned.

"Why have you removed your mask?" he asked, confused.

"Like I said, it's fucken hot." Erron shrugged. "Besides, I can't exactly kiss ya with it on."

Ermac stiffened. It was broad daylight and they weren't _exactly _hidden here. Someone could come along any moment. As if sensing his hesitation, Erron laughed, swinging over a leg and straddling the construct's lap. 

"C'mon, Ermac. Give daddy a kiss." His hazel eyes flashed wickedly and he captured his lover's mouth before he could argue.

After that, though, Ermac didn't raise much of a fuss. It was difficult to anyways, what with his lap full of cowboy and said cowboy's tongue rolling through his mouth. Erron broke the kiss only long enough to push back Ermac's hood before descending on him again. 

Hands fumbled between the two of them, Erron desperate to feel up whatever skin he could find, which was woefully limited to Ermac's face and scalp, while Ermac was more fortunate as he traced his fingertips over the sides of Erron's chests and up his biceps. Erron breathed his approval, rocking his hips forward.

"We should not," Ermac rasped, staring up through hooded eyes. "Someone might -"

Erron silenced him by biting down on his throat, his words devolving into a long hiss. 

"Don't worry about that," he mumbled, scraping his teeth up the column of Ermac's throat, nipping his jaw. "Just focus on me, all right?"

The construct nodded, arching his back when Erron slipped his hand down his front, tugging open his trousers to free him from the fabric. Erron's calloused hand wrapped around his heated flesh, thumb rubbing almost tenderly over his slit before he pumped his fist. Ermac's eyes flew open, voice breaking as he cursed in Edenian. Erron always loved it when he did that. There was something insanely hot about knowing he'd driven Ermac to that point.

He mouthed along his cheeks, taking one of the bandages pulled across the bridge of his nose in his teeth to rip it away. Ermac started to protest, but stopped when the cloth was replaced by Erron's lips, gently kissing along the freshly exposed skin. 

Ermac was the only one who knew what those lips felt like, knew what those hands were capable of when wrapped around his shaft. With that thought he let out a strangled noise, hands gripping onto Erron's shirt like a drowning man. His head fell back against the tree trunk with a thud, chest heaving.

"Ours!" he cried out, and was lost, body rolling on angry seas, vision going white then black in succession. Erron moved to sit down next to him again, but pulled Ermac close once more, holding him tight. 

"Yours," he agreed in a whisper, kissing the top of the construct's head. 

Erron reached out and picked up his mask. They wouldn't be able to stay here for long. Thankfully there wasn't much time left on his patrol. Carefully he replaced the mask before waking Ermac. 

The sooner they finished here, the sooner they could lock themselves in one of their rooms. Erron smiled behind his mask. Maybe it wouldn't be such a bad day after all.

**Author's Note:**

> Okay but me?  
Actually attempting Kinktober this year???
> 
> Let's see how this all works out I guess.  
Keeping them all as separate stories because I'm going to end up delving into multiple fandoms. Stay tuned! And as always, thanks for reading. Love to you all! <3


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